Hair dryer

ABSTRACT

A hair-drying apparatus for long hair and/or the hair on the scalp of a user&#39;&#39;s head in which suction-blower means communicate with justapositionable manifolds forming an elongated chamber for receiving hair herebetween and the hair is laid down so that split hairs are laid down due to the natural movement of the air, the apparatus incorporating filtering and heating means and including an air scoop communicating with one of the manifolds and a head-manifold for drying hair on the scalp; and means for adjusting the head-manifold to the position of a user.

United States Patent 91 Cournoyer June 18, 1974 [54] HAIR DRYER [75]Inventor: Hector S. Cournoyer, Hialeah, Fla.

[73] Assignee: United Commodities, lnc., Hialeah,

Fla.

{22] Filed: Oct. 16, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 297,807 I [52] U.S. Cl 34/101,34/99, 34/100 {51] Int. Cl A45d 20/24 {58] Field of Search 34/3, 90, 91,96401,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,420,251 5/l947 Foriyes..34/1OO 3,662,574 5/1972 Groat ..34/103 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS22,463 10/1902 Great Britain 34/l0l 56.571 9/l902 Germany 34/97 PrimaryExaminer-Kenneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner-iames C. Yeung Attorney,Agent, or FirmSamuel Meerkreebs [57] ABSTRACT A hair-drying apparatusfor long hair and/or the hair on the scalp of a users head in whichsuction-blower means communicate with justapositionable manifoldsforming an elongated chamber for receiving hair herebetween and the hairis laid down so that split hairs are laid down due to the naturalmovement of the air, the apparatus incorporating filtering and heatingmeans and including an air scoop communicating with one of the manifoldsand a head-manifold for drying hair on the scalp; and means foradjusting the headmanifold to the position of a user.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures HAIR DRYER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention This invention relates to hair drying apparatusand that particularly adapted to dry ones long hair as well as that on apersons scalp.

2. Description of the Prior Art The problems of drying long hair hasbeen under consideration over the years. Illustrations of various priorart apparatus are shown, for example, by United States Letters Patent toMACI-IADO No. 495,558 issued Apr. 18, 1893; WIRTH US. Pat. No.1,514,495, issued Nov. 4, 1924; in British Patents to HORNUNG, No.22,463 of 1902 and BULLOCK, No. 1030,172 of May 18, 1966, and Germanpatents to MARTH, No. 95,503, of 1897-1898; HORNUNG, No. 130,146; andURBACH, No. 146,644.

Long hair styles have once again become fashionable and are worn by allsexes. Over the years, the technology and research in hair and hairdrying, as well as improvements in mechanical components, has enabledhair stylists to be much more aware of the problems unsolved, considercomfort of the individual and consider the amount of time for drying thehair.

Split ends or split hairs are important factors, and microscopicexamination of a strand of hair reveals many filaments protecting fromthe longitudinal axis of the hair strand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvedlong hair drying apparatus in which a suction-blower communicates with apair of juxtapositionable manifolds; one manifold facilitating thecombining and brushing of wet hair thereon and the manifolds form a hairchamber in which the circulation of air therebetween drys and lays downloose hairs whereby long hair dried therein, depending on the hairthickness, weight, porosity, and wetness of the hair, takes from about10 to 25 minutes and in which the hair maintains a sheen and appearanceresulting from the hair split ends being dried while lying along thelongitudinal axis of the hair.

Another feature of the invention relates to adjustable meansincorporated with the displacable manifold which dries the hair or apersons scalp permitting all hair styles to be dried on the presentapparatus thus providing versatility to the apparatus as well asproviding an air-exchange feature circulating fresh air through thedryer.

These, together with other and more specific objects andadvantages,'will become apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription of an overplay embodiment when taken in consideration withthe drawings for a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sside elevational view ofthe apparatus of the invention illustrated in relation to a person whosehair is being dried, portions being broken away to show details, andillustration by phantom lines alternate adjustable positions of thehead-hood;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus in FIG. 1 along the hingedmanifold in an open position;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the apparatus in an open positionshowing details of the fixed manifold on which long hair is laid andcombed;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on theplane of line 4-4. of FIG. 1 with portions broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on theplane of the 5--5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of a controlpanel incorporated on one of the manifolds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Before referring to the drawingin detail, the apparatus can be constructed of any suitable material,i.e., plastic, glass fiber reinforced plastic, metal panels, etc. Theapparatus is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a generallyrectangular lower housing member 12 conveniently incorporating suitablecasters 14. The housing member 12 includes a vertically extendingmanifold portion 16 which is hollow and includes a generally hollowchamber 18 defined by an upper foraminous panel 20 which in theexemplary embodiment is at about a angle with respect to the vertical,however, this angle can vary. The upper end of the manifold portion 16is slightly contoured or convex at 22 for conveniently accommodatingthenape of a persons neck; see FIG. 1. The person using the dryingapparatus will be seated forwardly of the manifold portion 16 and theforaminous panel conveniently comprises means whereby the hair stylistcan readily brush the person Ps wet hair into a straight orientedposition in which it will be dried. Secured in longitudinally borderingrelationship to the elongated foraminous panel 20 are suitable sealingelements 23 (only one shown in FIG. 1) which seal in air beingcirculated through the manifold portion 16.

Hinged on a transverse hinge 24 at the rear upper edge of the housingmember 12 is a second hollow manifold member 25 which is generallytriangular in side elevation and which is complimentary to the manifoldportion 16. The 2nd manifold member includes side panels 26, 28depending below at their lower edges, beneath a foraminous panel 30 andwhich will form with the panel 20 a hair-receiving chamber 32 in whichthe long, combed hair will be received in the attitude in which it willbe dried.

The chamber 32 forms at its upper end an opening 34 which permits freshair to be introduced into the drier. The manifold member 25 is limitedin its pivotal movement when in an open position, i.e., to the positionshown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The means for limiting pivotal movementcomprising a contoured stop-track element 36 anchored at 38 on the sideof the housing member and including a rearwardly extending guide track40 reciprocably receiving therein a lateral pin 41 fixed to the lowerend of the manifold member 25 (a pair of the contoured stop-trackelements can be utilized on the relatively hinged parts).

The housing member 12 includes therein a suctionblower means 42comprising a centrifugal or squirlcage fan, however, the suction blowermeans can comprise a central suction-blower of an enlarged ca pacitywhereby a bank or plurality of the dryers can be serviced by a singlesuction-blower. The suction-blower includes a housing 44 having an axialinlet opening 46 communicating with a drum-type rotor, suitablyjournaled in the housing and driven by an electrically energized rotor48. The rotor 48 discharges air centrifugally through opening 50 to anoutlet chamber 52; see FIG. 4, which includes therein heater means 54comprising resistance wires 56 and over which forced air is passed andtempered. The outlet chamber 52 includes flanged outlet portions 58 towhich are secured by clamps 60 inlet ends of expansible oraccordion-type conduits 62 which are suitably connected at 64 (see FIG.2) to the manifold member 25.

In the absence of further explanation, air forced from the suctionblower means 42 passes through the conduits 62 to the manifold member25, through foraminous panel 30 into chamber 32 where the hair haspreviously been combed and brushed; through the hair and the foraminouspanel 20 into chamber 18 and then into the inlet opening 46 of thesuction-blower housing 44.

The drying can be effected in approximately minutes, and it will beobserved that the direction of movement of air, see direction arrows onFIG. 1, causes the manifold member 25 to be urged into the closingdirection, and because split hairs when wet, are combed and laid onpanel 20, it has been found that the hair when dried in the manner justdescribed, not only does the hair have an unusual sheen, but the hairretains this sheen over an extraordinary period of time and maintainsthis straight condition. This unusual result is apparently due in partto the fact that the hair is pressed or drawn down onto panel 20 duringthe normal movement of air, and the split hair filaments are dried alongthe longitudinal axis of its respective hair strand; this reinforces thehair strand along its length and, since it is not appreciably disturbedwhile drying, the hair is maintained in its straight condition over anunusual length of time. The apparatus is likewise adapted for producingstyles including waves or curls which can be effected by finger wavingthe wet hair, forming pin curls, or applying suitable hair rollers bythe hair stylist.

The housing 12 includes between the chamber 18 and the inlet opening 46;supported on a suitable support ledge 66, an intermediate filter element68 of any suitable construction which will filter all air drawn into theopening 46 and loose hair etc. so that the air is maintained in adebris-free condition; the filter element 68 will be changed or cleanedperiodically.

In addition to drying long hair, the apparatus includes means for dryingthe hair at the person s head. Integral with the upper panel 70 ofmanifold 25 is a tubular sleeve 72; see FIG. 5, which telescopicallyreceives a sleeve 74 having an angled lower end 76 forming a scoopopening in the direction air enters the manifold 25 from the conduits62. The sleeve 74 is vertically adjustable and has one end 77 connectedat 78 to a flexible tape 80 which is threaded through an opening 82 intoan apertured housing 84 in which the tape is convoluted at 80'; suitableclutch means 86 is provided whereby the sleeve 74 (see dotted lineposition) is retained in an adjusted position and the tape 80 is readilyrewound as the tape moves upwardly during upward movement of the sleevefrom the-position illustrated in FIG. 5.

Telescopically connected to the upper end 74 of the sleeve 74 is acomplimentary tubular sleeve 88 retained thereon by a threaded screw 90having an enlarged handle 92 received in a suitable tapped opening insleeve portion 74; the sleeve 88 incorporates a slot 94 affordingsufficient adjustment relative to the person Ps head. The sleeve 88incorporates a handle 96 providing the hair stylist means for readilyraising and lowering the manifold and attachments thereon. The sleeve 88includes at 98 a transverse hinge 100 and to which is pivoted ahead-hood manifold means 102 permitting the manifold 25 to overlymanifold portion 16 (when drying short hair, to permit the person P tobe readily seated, move away from the dryer etc. The head-manifold meansincludes the usual inner foraminous head plate 104; the head manifold102 will suitably seal on the end of conduit 88 when it is in the solidline position shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring to FIG. 6 without showing the detailed wiring circuits, acontrol panel 106 incorporates a timer 108, heat control 110, switch 112as well as light 114 of a green color to indicate that'all conditionsare proper for drying, and a light 116 (red for example) to indicate anoverheat condition, for example. Suitable audible signal means can beincorporated in the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. Dryer apparatus for drying long hair comprising in combination:

a housing member;

suction-blower means operatively connected to said housing member, andhaving inlet and outlet portions;

said housing member including an elongated first manifold having aforaminous hair-receiving plate for receiving hair to be dried thereon;

said first manifold communicating with the inlet portion of saidsuction-blower means whereby hair laid thereon is drawn onto said hairreceiving plate; and

an elongated second manifold displacably mounted on said housing memberand including a flat, foraminous hair-engaging plate for juxtapositionover said first manifold and forming therewith a hair receiving chamber;

said second manifold communicating with the outlet portion of saidsuction-blower means whereby air is circulated between said manifoldswhen they are juxtaposed;

said first manifold, foraminous plate being disposed substantiallyvertically for receiving long hair as it depends from a persons head,said second manifold being hinged to said housing member and beingsubstantially complimentary to said first manifold;

said manifolds including marginal longitudinal seals for confining theair in said chamber, said chamber forming an upper opening through whichfresh air is introduced between the manifolds.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said first manifold ishinged to said housing on a horizontal pivot axis at an outer, lowerportion of said second manifold.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said housing member andsecond manifold includes a contoured stop trackand abutment for limitingthe pivotal movement of said second manifold relative to said firstmanifold.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including expansible conduitmeans connected between said sec- 0nd manifold and the outlet portion ofsaid suctionblower means.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including airfilter means,interposed between said first manifold and said inlet portion forcatching loose hair and the like as hair is dried.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said first manifoldincludes a contoured upper edge portion for accomodating the nape of ausers neck.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including heater means in saidhousing member intermediately of said suction-blower outlet and saidsecond manifold for tempering the air passing therebetween.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including head hood meanscommunicating with and receiving a portion of air forced through saidsecond manifold and inof said suction-blower means.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said first manifold ishinged to said housing on a horizontal pivot axis at an outer, lowerportion of said second manifold.
 3. The structure as claimed in claim 1in which said housing member and second manifold includes a contouredstop track- and abutment for limiting the pivotal movement of saidsecond manifold relative to said first manifold.
 4. The structure asclaimed in claim 1 including expansible conduit means connected betweensaid second manifold and the outlet portion of said suction-blowermeans.
 5. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including air-filtermeans, interposed between said first manifold and said inlet portion forcatching loose hair and the like as hair is dried.
 6. The structure asclaimed in claim 1 in which said first manifold includes a contouredupper edge portion for accomodating the nape of a user''s neck.
 7. Thestructure as claimed in claim 1 including heater means in said housingmember intermediately of said suction-blower outlet and said secondmanifold for tempering the air passing therebetween.
 8. The structure asclaimed in claim 1 including head hood means communicating with andreceiving a portion of air forced through said second manifold andincluding a foraminous head-manifold for drying the hair on a user''shead.
 9. The structure as claimed in claim 8 including extendableconduit means connecting said head-hood manifold to said secondmanifold.
 10. The structure as claimed in claim 9 including anextensible retraction-spring assembly operatively connected to saidextensible conduit means for facilitating adjustment of said extensibleconduit means.
 11. The structure as claimed in claim 8 including aninlet scoop depending into said second manifold and connected to saidhead-hood manifold, said inlet scoop having an opening directed towardsthe outlet portion of said suction-blower means.